function [obj] = read_netCDF_header(cfile,full)
            if nargin < 2
                full = 0;
            end
            
            ncid = netcdf.open(cfile,'NC_NOWRITE');
            %   get information about global attributes
            obj.id = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'id');
            obj.station_name = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'station_name');
            obj.geospatial_lat = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'geospatial_lat');
            obj.geospatial_lon = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'geospatial_lon');
            obj.geospatial_alt = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'geospatial_alt');
            obj.time_coverage_start = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'time_coverage_start_unix_sec_since_1970_01_01');
            obj.time_coverage_end = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'time_coverage_end_unix_sec_since_1970_01_01');
            obj.time_coverage_resolution = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'time_coverage_resolution_sec');
            if full
                obj.history = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'history');
                obj.date_created = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'datecreated');
                obj.creator_name = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'creator_name');
                obj.creator_url = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'creator_URL');
                obj.institution = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'institution');
                obj.project = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'project');
                obj.processing_level = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'processing_level');
                obj.acknowledgment = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'acknowledgment');
                obj.station_country = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'station_country');
                obj.station_institution = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'station_institution');
                obj.station_institution_url = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'station_institution_url');
                obj.station_institution_email = netcdf.getAtt(ncid,...
                    netcdf.getConstant('NC_GLOBAL'),'station_institution_email');
            end
        end
    